Lots of sunshine and walking

My flight was really easy. I have already found that traveling alone makes it really easy to meet people. I sat next to a very nice woman named Mary on the plane. She was from Ohio and was a parent on a highschool tour trip. It is her first time to Europe. She was a great seatmate and gave me a calling card. I am really proud of myself for finding my way through customs, waiting about 45 minutes for my bag, treking two rolling suitcases through the airport, finding the trains, buying and validating a ticket, boarding and exiting the train with luggage, and walking to my hotel without making one wrong turn. I admit, I had memorized the directions from the Termini to my hotel as well as "walked" it on google maps in street view. It worked and I made it!

I just got back to my hotel after about two hours of walking around. I walked down to the Pizza Republica, got a sandwhich and un caffe at a place called Snack Bar that Rick Steves recommended. It was good. Then in the spirit of over coming jet-lag, I kept walking. It was wonderful, all of a sudden I am in Italy! There are old men riding mopeds, beautiful old buildings, lots of talking italian babies, and I swear it even smells italian. I also stopped in at a church, Santa Maria degli Angeli, and walked a long ways down Via Nazionale. A really long way. I walked until I could see the square with Trajen's Column, then I turned and walked back. My favorite thing I saw was someone's garden that had orange (I think) trees and the most beautiful roses I have ever seen. They were a bright pinky red and at least 6 inches across. The weather is beautiful, sunny, warm but not hot. My plan is to take a short nap before dinner. Everyone else is napping in Rome so I am using that as an excuse. Then I will venture out to do something I have never actually done in my life; go to a restaurant by myself. I'm sure it will be no problem, but I admit I will miss having my family to talk about food with!